2007 Texas
A&M Aggies
Recap:
The season Dennis Franchione had to have in order to save his job
never materialized, pulling the plug on the Coach Fran era after
five forgettable seasons. After starting the year 5-1 against sub
par competition, the Aggies retreated once the schedule got tougher,
finishing 2-5, including an Alamo Bowl loss to Penn State. Texas
A&M was only able to get so far with one of the nation’s top rushing
attacks, needing more from a toothless defense that couldn’t stop
opposing quarterbacks or make enough plays behind the line.
Offensive Player of the Year: QB Stephen McGee
Defensive Player of the Year: DE Chris Harrington
Biggest Surprise: After going six straight seasons without
beating Texas, Texas A&M has now won two straight against its bitter
rival. Playing their best game of the year, the Aggies amassed 533
yards of offense behind a career passing day from McGee to outpunch
the Longhorns, 38-30.
Biggest Disappointment: In a marquee opportunity to pick up
some national swagger, A&M barely showed up in a Thursday night game
with Miami. Looking like the same old Aggies, they fell behind 31-0
and managed only 240 yards of offense before scoring a couple of
meaningless touchdowns against the Hurricane backups.
Looking Ahead: The job of lighting a fire under the program
now belongs to Mike Sherman, a former Aggie assistant who’s spent
much of the last decade in the NFL. Although the returns of McGee
and backs Jorvorskie Lane and Mike Goodson should bring the new
coach comfort, they won’t help depth issues on both lines that are
going to crop up in 2008.
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2007 A&M
Preview
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2006 A&M
Season
2007 Schedule
CFN
Prediction: 8-4
2007 Record: 7-6
Sept. 1
Montana State
W 38-7
Sept. 8
Fresno St
W 47-45 3OT
Sept. 15
UL Monroe
W 54-14
Sept. 20 at
Miami L 34-17
Sept. 29
Baylor
W 34-10
Oct.
6
Oklahoma State
W 24-23
Oct.
13 at
Texas Tech L 35-7
Oct.
20 at
Nebraska W 36-14
Oct.
27
Kansas
L 19-11
Nov.
3
at Oklahoma
L 42-14
Nov.
10 at
Missouri L 40-26
Nov.
23
Texas
W 38-30
Alamo Bowl
Dec. 29 Penn State L 24-17 |
Nov. 23
Texas A&M 38 ... Texas 30
Texas A&M got out to a 17-0 lead on a 35-yard pass play to
Mike Goodson and a five-yard T.J. Sanders run, but it was two big
pass plays in less than three minutes early in the fourth quarter
that put the game away. Stephen McGee ran for a six-yard touchdown
with 49 seconds to play in the third quarter, but Texas answered
with a 91-yard kickoff return for a score from Quan Cosby. Just nine
seconds into the fourth, McGee and Goodson hooked up for a 44-yard
score, and on A&M's next drive, McGee connected with Earvin Taylor
for a 66-yard bolt of lightning for an insurmountable 21-point lead.
Marcus Griffin of Texas and A&M's Mark Dodge each came up with 14
tackles.
Player of the
game: Texas A&M QB Stephen McGee completed 25 of 36 passes for
362 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions, and ran 15
times for 30 yards and a score.
Stat Leaders: Texas A&M - Passing: Stephen
McGee, 25-46, 362 yds, 3 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Mike Goodson, 12-72. Receiving: Earvin
Taylor, 7-113, 1 TD
Texas - Passing: Colt McCoy, 17-32, 229 yds, 1
TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Jamaal Charles, 17-92, 1 TD. Receiving:
Jamaal Charles, 4-81
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
Dennis Franchione will leave disappointing legacy of failed
expectations and an inability to take the program to another level,
but there will be a soft spot in the hearts of many Aggie fans for
what he was able to pull off against Texas for two straight years.
Ask Lloyd Carr how important it is to beat an archrival. Stephen
McGee will now be known for what he's been able to do against the
Longhorns with three straight fantastic performances. If the offense
can click this well in the bowl game and if the Aggies can win, even
without Franchione coaching the team, the
downer of a season will have ended on a stunning high note.
Nov. 10
Missouri 40 ... Texas A&M 26
Missouri got a battle from Texas A&M, with the Aggies pulling
within five late on a 42-yard Martellus Bennett touchdown catch, his
second score of the day, but the Tigers pulled away with Jeremy
Maclin's second touchdown catch of the game, scoring from 12 yards
out to pull away for good. Maclin also set a Missouri record for the
longest touchdown catch with an 82-yard play, on the second of Chase
Daniel's three touchdown passes. Mizzou outgained A&M 555 yards to
380.
Player of the
game: Missouri WR Jeremy Maclin caught five passes for 146 yards
and two touchdowns, ran four times for 32 yards, returned four
kickoffs for 82 yards, and returned a punt for seven yards.
Stat Leaders: Texas A&M - Passing: Stephen
McGee, 18-28, 247 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Jorvorskie Lane, 12-50, 1 TD. Receiving: Mike
Goodson, 5-67
Missouri - Passing: Chase Daniel, 27-35, 352
yds, 3 TD
Rushing: Tony Temple, 22-141, 1 TD. Receiving:
Martin Rucker, 6-54
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... A&M
battled hard against Missouri, but didn't have enough defense, and
not nearly enough defensive pressure, to throw Chase Daniel off his
game. The running game was fine, but it wasn't nearly productive
enough throughout and didn't control the ball in the fourth quarter.
The season has quickly gone into the tank, losing three in a row and
four of the last five, and if there's going to be an upset against
Texas in two weeks, it'll be up to the defense. It has to find
something it can do right.
Nov. 3
Oklahoma 42 ... Texas A&M 14
Oklahoma TE Jermaine Greshman tied a school record with four
touchdown catches, scoring from three, 13, 38 and 13 yards out, and
QB Sam Bradford added a fifth touchdown pass to Chris Brown on the
way to a 35-0 lead going into the fourth quarter. Texas A&M got two
scores on a 23-yard Martellus Bennett catch and a one-yard Chris
Alexander run, but the game had already been decided long before.
The Aggie twosome of Mike Goodson and Jorvorskie Lane were held to
56 yards on 12 carries.
Player of the
game:
Oklahoma TE
Jermaine Gresham caught five passes for 80 yards and four
touchdowns.
Stat Leaders: Texas A&M - Passing: Stephen
McGee, 15-28, 155 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Stephen McGee, 16-71. Receiving: Martellus
Bennett, 4-63, 1 TD
Oklahoma - Passing: Sam Bradford, 21-30, 284
yds, 5 TD
Rushing: Allen Patrick & DeMarco Murray, 15-70. Receiving:
Jermiane Gresham, 5-80, 4 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... The
coaching staff appears to be convinced that Stephen McGee should be
the entire offense. Forgetting that the defense didn't have a prayer
of staying with Oklahoma tight end Jermaine Gresham, and did nothing
to disturb QB Sam Bradford, the running backs were relatively
effective. Jorvorskie Lane averaged 5.6 yards per carry, but he only
got the ball five times. There was never a real chance to establish
Mike Goodson. To have a chance against Missouri or Texas, A&M has to
get the running backs going early on. There simply isn't enough pop
in the passing game to make up for a mediocre ground attack.
Oct. 27
Kansas 19 ... Texas A&M 11
Kansas outrushed Texas A&M 227 yards to 74 with Brandon
McAnderson tearing off 183 yards with scores from six and three
yards out. After a scoreless first half, the Jayhawks scored 19
straight points, helped by two Scott Webb field goals. A&M fought
back with a 21-yard field goal and a 32-yard Roger Holland touchdown
catch, followed up with a two-point conversion, but were unable to
do anything with its final drive.
Player of the
game:
Kansas RB
Brandon McAnderson ran 21 times for 183 yards and two touchdowns,
and caught a pass for five yards.
Stat Leaders: Kansas - Passing: Todd Reesing,
21-33, 180 yds
Rushing: Brandon McAnderson, 21-183, 2 TD. Receiving:
Dezmon Briscoe, 6-49
Texas A&M - Passing: Stephen McGee, 24-44, 244
yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Mike Goodson, 9-33. Receiving: Martellus
Bennett, 8-91
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... How
could A&M only generate 74 rushing yards against Kansas? Stephen
McGee is a fine passer, but A&M is a running team that failed to
commit to the ground attack for a full four quarters. It was a
strange gameplan, especially at home, and now things don't slow down
with trips to Oklahoma and Missouri. Getting Jorvorskie Lane
rumbling from the start is a must.
Oct. 20
Texas A&M 36 ... Nebraska 14
Texas A&M rumbled for 359 yards with Stephen McGee and
Jorvorskie Lane each going over 100. Nebraska held an early lead on
a three-yard Quentin Castille touchdown run to answer a two-yard
Earvin Taylor scoring run with a blocked extra point. And then it
was all A&M and its running game, with Lane rumbling for four
touchdowns from one yard, two yards, four yards and a yard out. The
Huskers made it close in the second quarter on a ten-yard Maurice
Purify touchdown catch, but wouldn't get any closer. The Aggies held
on to the ball for 21:03 in the second half.
Player of the game:
Texas A&M QB Stephen McGee completed 13 of 22
passes for 100 yards and a touchdown and ran 35 times for 167 yards
Stat Leaders: Texas A&M - Passing: Stephen
McGee, 13-22, 100 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Stephen McGee, 35-167. Receiving: Pierre
Brown, 4-49
Nebraska - Passing: Sam Keller, 26-44, 275 yds,
1 TD
Rushing: Quentin Castille, 9-60, 1 TD. Receiving: Marlon
Lucky, 13-125
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
After all the problems in the Texas Tech loss, A&M did what it does
best against Nebraska by running, running and running some more. The
only knock on a blowout game in Lincoln with 359 yards rushing was
the workload. Stephen McGee shouldn't be running the ball 35 times
when there are perfectly good backs in Mike Goodson, who only ran
eight times, and Jorvoskie Lane to carry the mail. That worked this
week, but it won't over the final month against Kansas, Oklahoma,
Missouri and Texas.
Oct. 13
Texas Tech 35 ... Texas A&M 7
Texas A&M held a 7-0 first quarter lead after a long drive
ended with a one-yard Jorvorskie Lane touchdown run. That would be
all the fun the Aggies would have, as Texas Tech cranked out 35
unanswered points on three Graham Harrell touchdown passes, a
one-yard run, and a one-yard Shannon Woods run. .The A&M ground game
managed 344 yards, but couldn't keep pace one the Red Raider offense
got rolling. Tech's Michael Crabtree didn't score, but he came up
with a 54-yard pass play off a slant pattern that led to the Woods
touchdown run with 25 left in the first half for a 21-7 Red Raider
lead.
Player of the game:
Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell completed 30 of 37
passes for 425 yards and three touchdowns, and he ran for a score
Stat Leaders: Texas A&M - Passing: Stephen
McGee, 17-30, 133 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Stephen McGee, 14-89. Receiving: Martellus
Bennett, 4-35
Texas Tech - Passing: Graham Harrell, 30-37,
425 yds, 3 TD
Rushing: Shannon Woods, 21-93, 1 TD. Receiving: Michael
Crabtree,
8-170
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... As
the Miami game showed a few weeks ago, when the running game isn't
dominating, A&M is in trouble. Against Texas Tech, the defense
didn't have an answer for Graham Harrell and the onslaught that
kicked in after a 7-0 Aggie lead, and now it's do-or-die time at
Nebraska to save the Big 12 season. That might sound extreme for a
team with only one league loss, but the four best teams in the
conference (Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Texas) finish things up.
A&M has to start going on more long scoring drives, and the offense
can't afford to get behind. The rally over Oklahoma State two weeks
ago was the exception.
Oct. 6
Texas A&M 24 ... Oklahoma State 23
Jorvorskie Lane ran for two, one-yard scores and caught a
ten-yard touchdown pass as A&M rallied from a 17-0 deficit for the
win. OSU got up on Adarius Bowman touchdown catches from 29 and 47
yards out in the second quarter, but could only manage three Jason
Ricks field goals the rest of the way. Ricks' 25-yard boot came with
3:11 to play, and OSU would never get it back. The defense came up
with the stop and forced a punt, but a roughing the kicker penalty
gave it back to A&M, and Lane ran out the clock.
Player of the game:
Texas A&M RB Jorvorskie Lane ran for 77 yards and two touchdowns on
19 carries, and caught four balls for 35 yards and another score.
Stat Leaders: Oklahoma State - Passing: Zac
Robinson, 10-17, 158 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Dantrell Savage, 21-110. Receiving: Adarius
Bowman, 7-142, 2 TDs
Texas A&M - Passing: Stephen McGee, 11-20, 169
yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Jorvorskie Lane, 19-77, 2 TDs. Receiving: Kerry
Franks, 4-120
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... It
might not have been easy, but after the ugly loss to Miami, and the
struggles with Fresno State and Oklahoma State, A&M is still 5-1
going into the meat of the schedule. As good as the Aggie running
game is supposed to be, the Cowboys were able to keep it under
wraps, allowing just 150 yards, while gaining 200 of its own. A&M
had better gear it up in a big hurry against Texas Tech, and it had
better figure out how to cover someone right now. If Adarius Bowman
can catch seven passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns, Tech's
Michael Crabtree could go crazy.
Sept. 29
Texas A&M 34 ... Baylor 10
Texas A&M rumbled for 352 rushing yards, controlling the clock
for 43:18, with Jorvorskie Lane rushing for a one-yard score,
Stephen McGee and Jerrod Johnson adding short fourth quarter rushing
touchdowns, and Mike Goodson taking a pass 58 yards for a touchdown.
Baylor didn't move the ball well, but it got a Jay Finley three-yard
touchdown run in the fourth to pull within ten. The A&M defense
clamped down from there, and the running game kept the chains
moving, converting 11 of 19 third down chances.
Player of the
game:
Texas A&M QB
Stephen McGee went 16-of-28 for 200 yards, one touchdown and one
interception, while rushing 17 times for 110 yards and another
score.
Stat Leaders: Baylor - Passing: Blake Szymanksi,
12-35, 194 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Brandon Whitaker, 6-26. Receiving: David
Gettis, 2-88
Texas A&M - Passing: Stephen McGee, 16-28, 200
yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Jorvorskie Lane, 24-123, 1 TD. Receiving:
Keondra Smith, 4-6
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... Now
that's how it's supposed to work. The A&M running game pounded its
way to an easy win over Baylor, controlling the clock, moving the
chains, and keeping the Bear offense off the field. The Aggies even
got a little out of the passing attack, with Stephen McGee working
the ball around well for 200 yards. After the Miami debacle, there
was bound to be a steady diet of Jorvorskie Lane running the ball,
and now the formula has to work again next week against Texas Tech.
The Aggies simply aren't good enough to get involved in a
high-octane shootout; their games need to be kept under their
control.
Sept. 20
Miami 34 ... Texas A&M 17
Miami dominated the first half with 24 points, helped by a
flurry in the final five minutes off of A&M miscues. Graig Cooper
and Javarris James each ran for short touchdowns, and Kyle Wright
connected with Cooper for a 12-yard score and Chris Zellner for a
seven-yard touchdown on the way to a 31-0 lead. Texas A&M came up
with 17 fourth quarter points on a short Stephen McGee run and a
Jerrod Johnson 33-yard chuck to Martellus Bennett with five seconds
to play.
Player of the
game:
Miami QB Kyle
Wright completed 21 of 26 passes for 275 yards and two touchdowns
Stat Leaders: Texas A&M - Passing: Stephen
McGee, 11-20, 109 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Stephen McGee, 16-39, 1 TD. Receiving: Mike
Goodson, 5-53
Miami - Passing: Kyle Wright, 21-26, 275 yds, 2
TD
Rushing: Graig Cooper, 7-50, 1 TD. Receiving: Sam Shield,
6-117
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... What
the heck was that? A&M came up with a weird gameplan for Miami, and
it wouldn't change things up even when things were going poorly.
Turnovers and a late first half meltdown ended the game, but it was
basically over when the coaching staff decided not to pound the ball
with Jorvorskie Lane. How could he only get two carries for two
yards? The offensive line was getting dominated early on, but A&M
needed to go to its strength and pound the ball, pound the ball,
pound the ball. This was the type of loss that could tear the team
apart, especially if there are problems against Baylor next week.
Watch for Lane to get 20 carries against the Bears.
Sept. 15
Texas A&M 54 ... UL Monroe 14
Texas A&M ran for 310 yards and consistently rumbled all game
long, getting six touchdown runs from five different players with
Jorvorskie Lane running for two in the first half. The Aggies
scored ten in the first, 17 in the second, 14 in the third and 13 in
the fourth, rolling for 34 straight points after Calvin Dawson tied
it at seven late in the first quarter. A&M's Kerry Franks added a
20-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter.
Player of the
game:
Texas A&M QB
Stephen McGee finished 19-of-33 for 237 yards, one touchdown and a
pick, while running for 18 yards on four carries.
Stat Leaders: UL Monroe - Passing: Kinsmon
Lancaster, 13-23, 116 yds, 2 INTs
Rushing: Calvin Dawson, 20-126, 1 TD. Receiving:
Calvin Dawson, 5-42
Texas A&M - Passing: Stephen McGee, 19-33, 237
yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Mike Goodson, 11-113, 1 TD. Receiving: Martellus
Bennett, 6-98
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... Now
that's what you're supposed to do after struggling so badly against
Fresno State. UL Monroe had no prayer of slowing down the Aggie
attack that averaged 7.4 yards per carry. The Aggies were able to
empty the bench and five Mike Goodson and Jorvorskie Lane a little
bit of rest, while the passing game got in some work with Stephen
McGee throwing it 33 times. This was one of the best games the
offense has played in a few years, and now the momentum has to keep
rolling at Miami. Getting out to a hot start will be a must to force
the Canes to throw.
Sept. 8
Texas A&M 47 ... Fresno State 45
3OT
In a wild game with several major momentum swings, Fresno
State got into the end zone on Bear Pascoe's third touchdown catch
of the game in the third overtime, but Tom Brandstater's two-point
conversion attempt failed to click to allow the Aggies to escape.
The Aggies appeared to have the game won in regulation after
Jorvorskie Lane rumbled in for a five-yard score with under two
minutes to play, but down 29-22, the Bulldogs went 80 yards in ten
plays with Brandstater scrambling before finding Pascoe for a
three-yard score with five seconds to play. A&M got a field goal on
its overtime possession, and then the fun began as Fresno State
appeared to have the ball down at the one as Marlon Moore dove just
before getting into the end zone, lost the ball on to the Aggies
before crossing the goal line, and then got a reprieve after the
play was called back for a roughing the passer penalty. The Bulldogs
ended up kicking a field goal, and then the two teams traded short
touchdown runs in the second overtime.
Player of the game:
Texas A&M RB Jorvorskie Lane ran for 121 yards and four touchdowns
on 23 carries, and had a reception for eight yards.
Stat Leaders: Fresno State - Passing: Tom
Brandstater, 21-31, 260 yds, 3 TDs, 1 INT
Rushing: Ryan Mathews, 11-66, 1 TD. Receiving:
Bear Pascoe, 7-70, 3 TDs
Texas A&M - Passing: Stephen McGee, 13-24, 79 yds,
1 TD
Rushing: Stephen McGee, 16-124. Receiving:
Martellus Bennett, 5-35
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... The
running game should've been able to close out Fresno State, and
despite grinding out 318 yards, it almost wasn't enough. The
secondary couldn't come up with a key late play, and it couldn't
handle TE Bear Pascoe on seemingly every clutch pass. Normally,
holding onto the ball for over 34 minutes and converting 11 of 20
third down conversions should lead to an easy A&M victory, but there
will need to be more passing to have a chance at the tougher games
ahead. That's why the UL Monroe game is vital; Stephen McGee has to
quickly find his passing touch after completing just 52% of his
passes in the first two games.
Sept. 1
Texas A&M 38 ... Montana State 7
Elliott Barnhart caught an eight yard touchdown pass less than
five minutes into the game to give Montana State a 7-0 lead. And
then it was all A&M. The Aggies scored 38 unanswered points as
Stephen McGee tore off runs of 65 and three yards, Jorvorskie Lane
pounded his way for a two-yard score, and Mike Goodson ran for an
18-yard touchdown to put it away. In garbage time, Terrence McCoy
caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from Jerrod Johnson.
Player of
the game ... Texas A&M QB Stephen McGee completed 10 of 20
passes for 112 yards and ran nine times for 121 yards and two
touchdowns
Stat Leaders: Montana State - Passing: Jack
Rolovich, 21-39, 267 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Demetrius Crawford, 13-47 Receiving:
Josh Lewis, 5-86
Texas A&M - Passing: Stephen McGee, 10-20,
112 yds
Rushing: Stephen McGee, 9-121, 2 TD Receiving:
Earvin Taylor, 3-36
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
It might not have been Texas A&M's best
performance in the win over Montana State, but the offense got the
big running plays it needed to, averaging a whopping 7.5 yards per
carry, and the defense did a nice job of bending but not breaking.
Giving up 403 yards to a decent FCS team like MSU isn't that big a
deal, but it would nice if the D could become a brick wall against
Fresno State next week, and it would be really nice if Stephen McGee
could be a bit more efficient after completing just half his passes.
Sept. 1 – Montana State
Sept. 8 - Fresno State
Offense: New offensive coordinator Jim McElwain will pump some
life into a stagnant passing game with a wide-open attack featuring some
funky, multi-receiver formations while not running quite as much. Call
it playing to the strengths, as the receiving corps is lightning fast,
but untested, while Tom Brandstater, who struggled mightily last year,
is still a talent who appears ready to make a big jump and become a
major player. The running game will suffer without Dwayne Wright, but
Lonyae Wright and Clifton Smith should be decent. The line is the
strength of the team with four starters returning to a group that
allowed just 12 sacks.
Defense: After a tremendous 2005 season when the defense
dominated, last year was a step back, especially in the secondary.
Enough overall experience returns to be better, but the line has to do
more to get into the backfield and the corners have to pick off more
passes after taking away just three. There's plenty of speed and
athleticism in the linebacking corps to swarm to the ball, and there's
size and pass rushing ability from the front four, but there have to be
more big plays and more takeaways.
Sept. 15 - UL Monroe
Offense: The best offense in the Sun Belt gets 11 starters back
led by RB Calvin Dawson working behind a terrific line with several
all-star candidates. QB Kinsmon Lancaster has a year of starting
experience under his belt, and he has all his top targets to get the
ball to including LaGregory Sapp and tight end Zeek Zacharie. While the
attack will spread it out and allow Lancaster to use his mobility and
big-time arm to find the right receiver, it'll be Dawson who carries the
workload when things get tight.
Defense: The same problems ULM had last year appear to be the
same issues going into this year with a questionable run defense and no
proven pass rush, but the strength, the secondary, will be the same even
without Kevin Payne and Chaz Williams. The 4-2-5 did its job against
mediocre offenses, but got ripped apart by any offense with a pulse.
Unless the line is better, the Warhawks will be pounded on by everyone
in the Sun Belt.
Sept. 20 – at Miami
Offense: After a miserably inconsistent year finishing 87th in
the nation in both total and scoring offense, the attack needs to play
up to its talent level. The backfield will be amazing with Javarris
James and true freshman Graig Cooper each good enough star for just
about anyone in the country. The line has potential with two good
tackles in Jason Fox and Reggie Youngblood to work around, and now the
passing game has to be far better. The Kyle Wright vs. Kirby Freeman
quarterback battle will be an ongoing debate, and the receiving corps
has to step up and be better. Lance Leggett emerging as a true number
one target would be a start.
Defense: The defense finished seventh in the nation last year
despite not getting any help from the offense. The starting 11 should be
good enough to shut everyone down, but there will be early concerns with
the depth on the defensive line and the secondary. Safety Kenny Phillips
and end Calais Campbell might be the two best defensive players in the
nation, and everything will revolve around them; they must stay
healthy. The linebacking corps might not have name stars, but it'll be a
rock against the run with a good rotation of talents.
Sept. 29 - Baylor
Offense: After making the change to a Texas Tech-like
passing attack, the Bears threw well, but did absolutely nothing for the
running game, finishing dead last in the nation averaging just 40.17
yards per game. There will be more emphasis on running the ball, but
this will still be a passing attack. First, BU has to find someone to
throw, and someone to catch. It'll be a three-way battle for the
starting quarterback job, with former Kent State Golden Flash Michael
Machen the leader in the race, while the two star receivers of last
season are gone. Several young players have to turn into reliable
targets, while Brandon Whitaker has to try to provide some semblance of
a rushing attack behind a line that should be a bit better.
Defense: Pass rush, pass rush, pass rush. Baylor didn't come up with
any last year, and it affected the entire defense. With only 11 sacks
and 51 tackles for loss, BU let opposing quarterbacks spend all day to
throw, and the secondary struggled. Worse yet, the run defense was
awful. Now, there's hope for improvement in the 4-2-5 alignment with
promising tackles in Vincent Rhodes and Trey Bryant, along with tackling
machine Joe Pawelek at linebacker. The secondary has more raw talent
than last year, but not a lot of experience, so it'll be up to veteran
ends Jason Lamb and Geoff Nelson to finally produce some sort of
pressure on the quarterback.
Oct. 6 - Oklahoma State
Offense: The potential is there for the nation's 16th best
offense and seventh best scoring attack to be even better. Quarterback
Bobby Reid lived up to the hype last season and proved he could be a
star. While he loses a great target in D'Juan Woods, he gets Adarius
Bowman back to go along with a slew of speedy but unproven receivers to
stretch the field. The 1-2 rushing punch of Dantrell Savage and Keith
Toston is among the fastest and most dangerous in America running behind
a decent line that has experience, but will be a work in progress to
find the right starting combination.
Defense: If nothing else, the defense was certainly interesting
with an aggressive style that produced a ton of sacks, plenty of tackles
for loss, and gave up too many big plays. New defensive coordinator Tim
Beckman will tone things down a little bit while still taking the fight
to the offense. The back seven will be terrific with a fantastic
linebacking corps, even with top middle man Rodrick Johnson playing end
and star Chris Collins trying to get through knee and off-the-field
problems, while the secondary will strong as long as injuries don't hit
the safeties. Experience on the line, especially at tackle, will be an
issue early on, but the starting ends, Marque Fountain and Nathan
Peterson, will be all-stars.
Oct. 13 – at Texas Tech
Offense: On the surface, there might appear to be a world
of problems. The quarterback situation is allegedly up for grabs, the
star running back practiced like he was too secure and got booted to
third string, almost all the top receivers are gone, and four starters
have to be replaced on the line. Don't shed too many tears. Graham
Harrell had a great spring and will be the staring quarterback once
again, Shannon Woods will get back in everyone's good graces this fall
and be a top back, and Michael Crabtree might be the best receiver the
program has had in several years. Of course, it all goes kaput if the
line doesn't come together quickly, but Mike Leach and his coaching
staff have dealt with worse. There might be question marks, but there's
also a whole bunch of talented prospects. This will be one of the
nation's five best passing offenses once again, but it might not be
consistent.
Defense: This D will be a major part in several shootouts, and
not in a good way. The secondary will be the strength, and it's not even
close, with a pair of all-star safeties in Darcel McBath and Joe Garcia,
along with star corner Chris Parker. The front seven is a major problem,
especially the defensive line, with no depth and only one starter
returning. The linebacking corps isn't all that big, but it's fast and
should be good in time. Expect good running teams to be able to rumble
at will.
Oct. 20 – at Nebraska
Offense: From possibly losing star receiver Maurice Purify
for being a knucklehead off the field, to losing leading rusher Brandon
Jackson to the NFL, promising runner Kenny Wilson to a broken leg while
moving a TV, and starting guard Matt Huff to a blown out Achilles
(though he might be back), it's been a rough off-season for the offense.
Even with all the problems, the offense will roll if, and it's a
screaming if, the once-promising tackle prospects come through and the
starting 11 stays healthy. Top back Marlon Lucky can't be counted on for
a full season, while backup Cody Glenn is already hobbling with a foot
problem. There's no one of note behind them. The line had to do some
shuffling after a variety of injuries, meaning the ground game could
struggle at times. Fortunately, former Arizona State mad bomber Sam
Keller is at the helm with a speedy, veteran receiving corps to work
with. Don't be shocked if the attack becomes one-dimensional at some
point this year. That might not be a bad thing.
Defense: Defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove is about throwing
different looks at offenses over the last few years, and while he loses
all four starters off a great front four, he has more talent and depth
to work with. The strength is in the linebacking corps, where Bo Ruud,
Corey McKeon, Steve Octavien and Lance Brandenburgh will control the
defense. There's speed to burn in the secondary, but the defensive backs
haven't played up to their potential or athleticism over the last few
years. This will be one of the Big 12's better defenses, but it still
might not be close to the killer of some of the great Husker teams of
the past.
Oct. 27 - Kansas
Offense: After spending last year running the ball, new
offensive coordinator Ed Warinner will try to stretch the field more
with a big, experienced group of receivers. The big question will be who
the quarterback will be throwing to them. Sophomores Kerry Meier and
Todd Reesing are talented, mobile passers who can do a little of
everything well, but they'll be in a battle for the starting job up
until the opener. The other big question mark is at running back, where
Jon Cornish and his 1,457 yards and eight scores will be replaced by
Jake Sharp (fast) and Brandon McAnderson (powerful). The line is nothing
special, but the tackles are experienced and solid.
Defense: The defense had to go through a little bit of a rebuilding
phase last season, and while the overall results weren't terrific, and
too many yards were allowed, it wasn't as bad as it might have appeared.
The secondary gave up more yards than anyone in America, but it gets
Aqib Talib back at corner to go along with an upgrade in speed at the
other three spots. The linebacking corps, by design, is small on the
outside with a slew of safety-sized defenders designed to fly to the
ball. They have to hold up better when they're getting pounded on. James
McClinton is a star at tackle who should set the tone for the front
seven.
Nov. 3 – at Oklahoma
Offense: If a quarterback comes through and shines, this could be
the nation's most effective offense. If the offensive line isn't the
best in college football, it's number two, the running backs are very
fast and very talented, and the receiving corps, led by top pro prospect
Malcolm Kelly, is very big and very fast. It all comes down to the
quarterback battle between junior Joey Halzle and redshirt freshman Sam
Bradford. Whichever one can be steady will get the plum gig with a
chance to lead the loaded attack in a national title chase.
Defense: It'll be an interesting defense that has the potential
to be a killer, but has some major concerns. The secondary should be
among the best in America with enough size, speed, and talent to keep
the NFL scouts buzzing. DeMarcus Granger is a rising superstar tackle
who should combine with Gerald McCoy, Cory Bennett and Steven Coleman to
stuff up everything on the inside. If the unknown ends come though with
a halfway decent season, and the untested linebacking corps is nearly as
good as last year's, look out.
Nov. 10 – at Missouri
Offense: If all the parts are working as expected, this should be
one of the nation's five most productive offenses with an embarrassment
of riches to work with. Junior QB Chase Daniel is growing into a star
leader with more than enough weapons to choose from. The tight end
combination of Martin Rucker and Chase Coffman is the best in the
nation, Will Franklin can fly on the outside, and Tony Temple leads a
small, quick backfield that'll rip through the holes created by a
talented, experienced line. The problems? Consistency and proven play in
crunch time. The numbers are going to be there, but they have to come
against the top teams in the big games.
Defense: The whole will be greater than the sum of the parts. A
pass rush will emerge eventually from the outside linebackers as well as
end Stryker Sulak, while Brock Christopher has the makings of an All-Big
12 performer at middle linebacker. The secondary will be fine thanks to
the return of starting corners Darnell Terrell and Hardy Ricks, but
replacing safeties David Overstreet and Brandon Massey won't be easy.
There's tremendous speed and athleticism in the back seven, several good
young players to get excited about among the backups, and an excellent
tackle pair in Evander Hood and Lorenzo Williams to anchor things up
front. Now the D has to prove it can come through on a consistent basis
against the top teams.
Nov. 23 - Texas
Offense: This might be the best offense yet under head coach Mack
Brown, with one bump in the road: the line. The starting five will be
fine, but there's absolutely no depth at tackle. While that's the
concern, the skill players will be fantastic with a deep, talented
receiving corps that welcomes back the top four targets, Jamaal Charles
and a speedy backfield, and Colt McCoy to lead the show. Now a seasoned
veteran, McCoy will run more than last year while making more plays on
the move. Expect plenty of scoring, plenty of explosiveness, and a top
five finish in total offense ... as long as the line holds up.
Defense: Duane Akina goes from co-defensive coordinator to the
head man in charge, and there will be changes. Last year's defense was
all about stopping the run, and the talented secondary got torched. This
year's D will focus on doing everything, with an eye towards being more
aggressive and generating more pressure. The strength is at tackle and
in the linebacking corps, with NFL caliber talent that should keep the
Longhorns among the nation's leaders against the run. The ends will be
fine, in time, and they'll get to pin their ears back and go to the
quarterback. All the pressure should help out a secondary in transition,
with only one starter returning from a group that loses Thorpe Award
winner Aaron Ross and All-American Michael Griffin.